Top and Tail [boyxboy] [slash]

Chapter 6: Old Memories

I woke up freezing. Which was pretty unusual, considering that I'd went to sleep huddled against Jay, the ever warm radiator. Stretching and yawning, I sat up and looked for my alarm clock. The glowing numbers indicated that it had just left three, but that wasn't what struck me. What drew my attention was the fact that I was completely alone in the bed.

I didn't like it...

But if I was sprawled across the bed by myself, where was Jay? Panicking slightly, I glanced around the dark room, unable to make out anything except a few lumpy shapes. I groaned, still half-asleep, and pushed myself up from the bed, tripping over the shoes I had left lying at my backside when I stumbled into bed the previous night. A low hiss escaped my lips.

"Ash?"

The whisper startled me and my heart leapt to my throat. I swallowed. "Jay? Where are you?"

"Um, I'm at the window."

I turned to face him, my heart still thumping. Standing in front of the window frame stood a teary-eyed Jay. He looked almost ghostly, his silhouette partially illuminated by the moonlight, giving him an eerie angel-like aura. Again, I shook my head. I should be more focused on the tears dribbling down his cheeks than the window.

"Hey, uh, are you ok?"

Awkwardly, I jumped up on my windowsill so that I was beside his lean frame but had a rare height advantage. Jay coughed a little before responding with, "Um, yeah."

I frowned and folded my arms across my chest. "Dude, you, uh, don't have to pretend to be ok you know... I mean, obviously you've compromised your manliness a little bit, but I won't spread it..."

I let my voice fade away, unsure of what to say next. I'd never been any good in situations like this. Besides my parents, I didn't actually have any close family unless you counted my aunt and cousins in Australia. And let's face it, I didn't count them. So I'd never experienced grief, or lose, or just downright pain. Sure I was an angsty teen who was angry at the world but, you know. It was the typical teen problems. Not like what Jay was dealing with.

"I'm fine," he croaked, turning his face away from me as if ashamed. Sighing, I hopped off the window ledge and began searching my room. Quite a feat in the dark too.

"What're you doing?"

"What does it look like?" I hissed, stuffing my bare feet into my grubby trainers, ignoring burning sensation as the coarse fabric scraped against my heels. Jay looked confused.

"Um..."

"We're going for a walk," I told him, handing him his own jacket and trainers. He raised in eyebrow in response.

"In our pyjamas?"

I looked down at my grey track bottoms and shrugged on my waterproof coat. "It's three o'clock in the morning. Like anyone will see us."

Jay stood, chewing his lip as he debated my logic internally. I rolled my eyes and gestured for him to hurry up and tie his laces. But all in all maybe it was a good thing. At least I'd managed to distract him from his mum for the time being. Eventually he hauled on his jacket, inside out I might add, and stood up straight.

"Ready. But, um, where are we going?"

I shrugged. "Dunno."

After a moment's hesitation, I reached forward and grabbed his hand, pulling him down the stairs. But I only did it because he was taking too long. Yeah.

I didn't let go as we slipped out the door. He didn't either.

"Are you sure your mum won't, um, kill us if she finds us missing?" he asked, a hint of nervousness creeping into his voice. I made a face.